Page 33 of Charming the Accidental Suitor
Albright knew that feeling well. Between her warm, charming smile and her brazen confidence….
Albright spent half his time in her company trying to figure out up from down. It seemed her particular charm had a similar effect on Everson. Felicity put him out of his misery. “I was not trying to threaten you with that note, Everson, merely hasten along the conversation.”
Everson scoffed. “What are you on about?”
“I know you’re behind the smuggling ring.” She let that sink in for one moment, and Albright held his breath, ready to lunge for the knave if he took one step toward her.
But then she added, “And so does Albright.”
Marlin looked to Albright with wide eyes as if to say,is this part of the plan?
Everson started to sputter in indignation. Clearly whatever he thought Felicity knew—it was not this. But Felicity merely waved a hand to dismiss his protests. “There’s likely a great deal more who suspect that you helped the former Earl of Marlin start the smuggling operation?—”
“I had nothing to do with it. It was all him. He was a greedy lord with wasteful habits and?—”
“I do believe that’s enough,” Felicity said softly.
Albright stole a look at Marlin.
Marlin’s expression wasn’t merely stern. He looked…furious.
For a moment Albright’s heart went out to the other man. He’d told Marlin of his suspicions about Everson not long after informing his friends. The Earl had taken it as well as could be expected, but he couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be to learn that the man you considered to be a friend had been using your land to commit crimes right under your nose.
“As I said, I did not come here to threaten you.” Felicity’s laughter was so light and sweet, it took everything in Albright not to rush to her side and hold her close.
Or, better yet, scoop her up into his arms so he could carry her somewhere safe.
“What do you want?” Everson’s voice was a feral growl.
It set Albright on edge but even from where they hid, Albright could hear Felicity’s exasperated sigh. “I told you?—”
“Speak plainly, woman.”
It wasn’t the words or his tone that alerted Albright to a new danger. It was Felicity’s soft gasp. But her voice was still light with laughter when she said, “Really, Everson, a dagger is hardly useful for the civil conversation I came for.”
Marlin was giving Albright a hard stare. He was waiting for Albright to give the signal.
Albright’s heart pounded. He was furious with Felicity for putting him in this position. For making him wait and listen while she was in harm’s way.
But to make a move now would ruin whatever plan she’d concocted—and could get her hurt in the process. His hands clenched and unclenched.
His patience was wearing thin.
And Everson’s was as well, it seemed. “What conversation?”
“Well, a proposition, really,” she mused. “I thought you might prefer it if we were open and honest for this topic. I wanted to ensure we both had all our cards on the table before I laid out my proposal.”
She was delaying again. Stalling.
She didn’t know he and Marlin were there, and he had no way to tell her she was safe. That whatever ludicrous, reckless plan she’d enacted, he would move heaven and earth to keep her safe.
That he’d always keep her safe.
“What proposal?” Everson snapped.
Albright found himself straining as well, impatient for Felicity to get to the point so he could figure out what sort of trap she had planned.
“Why…” Felicity feigned surprise that he hadn’t guessed. “A proposal of marriage of course.”
